Paul J Collins

Remembered: Collins and Byrne Relatives in the Great War Paul J Collins

In World War I, 35 relatives of the Collins family aged between 18 and 57 volunteered for service - 15 came from the Collins side while 20 were from the Byrne side. Some never passed the enlistment process. Of those who served overseas, many were injured and a saddening percentage died. With interest in the war high due to its centenary, this book honours those who answered the call by detailing their service and lives using primary documents and the vast amount of resources available for researchers. It is hard to say whether these veterans cover the full range of Australia's involvement during the Great War, from being enlisted for a few weeks at the end of the war to dying, but there is no denying the 34 men and one woman whose lives are recorded here encompass a broad range of the Australian experience during the conflict.